Save the date, Sheerios!
Filipino fans of English hitmaker Ed Sheeran will be treated to early access to his fifth studio album, Subtract ahead of its commercial release.
Warner Music Philippines is set to hold an exclusive album listening experience at the Mall of Asia Arena (MOA) on May 4, a day before the singer releases his new music across all digital platforms.
Aesthetics are used to achieve a full listening experience. Each cabin on the MOA Eye will be converted into a private listening booth where fans can enjoy riding a ferris wheel while enjoying the new music of the Thinking Out Loud hitmaker.
What’s more, those who take part in the event can have the chance to win exclusive Ed Sheeran merchandise.
Those who want to take front row seats only need to visit the MOA Eye during mall hours and pre-save the album on their listening platform of choice.
Subtract
Loyal followers of the singer would know that this particular album hits close to home for him because his yet-to-be-released songs are in fact inspired by challenges that the Grammy-winning musician faced in recent years.
Sheeran first teased his album on March 1 via a social media post. He said that he had been working on Subtract for a decade and that he was trying to sculpt the perfect acoustic album by writing and recording songs according to his vision.
“Then, at the start of 2022, a series of events changed my life, my mental health, and ultimately the way I viewed music and art,” he said.
Just like other songwriters, writing songs for him is therapy, and he just pens whatever crosses his mind. As he was working on this album, he found himself replacing a decade’s worth of work with his “deepest darkest thoughts.”
“Within the space of a month, my pregnant wife got told she had a tumor, with no route to treatment until after the birth. My best friend Jamal, a brother to me, died suddenly, and I found myself standing in court defending my integrity and career as a songwriter,” he said.
“This is last February’s diary entry and my way of making sense of it. This is Subtract,” he ended.
Love for the Philippines
Sheeran had visited and performed in the country in 2015 and 2018. In an interview on GMA’s 24 Oras, the singer was quoted as saying, “No other place on Earth has fans like the Philippines.”
He also shared how Filipino fans treated him like a star.
“The first time I came to the Philippines, and I’ve never felt that much love from a place ever,” he said.
“Everywhere I went, it was pandemonium; it’s the first time I actually felt like a star,” he added.
